A Walk Through Elysian Fields
by Swallows Fly as Free as a Bird
Summary: Edward and Bella in the American Civil War. AU AH CC


Today was the day.

It happened.

We succeeded from the Union.

The news was still shocking, our slaves have even uttered the words of war under their breaths in the fields. My fellow friends and socialites have spoke out about the impending declaration of war and their feelings towards the Yankees up north. I knew it was coming. I planned of it to be in a distant future, not this year. I always figured it would be swift, like a swarm of locusts across a field. Like a herd of fleeing buffalo from hunters but it happened so slowly, progressively growing worse by the months as the men in Washington argued over the debate of slave owning and trading. Father owned slaves, yes, but he never divided a family.

He found that degrading and morally wrong, and usually allowed an entire family to be bought into our property. He always allowed them to progress until their time was done as they went into old age. We had no overseers, seeing as we needed none since our slaves were loyal. They worked the fields, ad returned to a nice two floor home father built as a complementary accommodations towards our slaves. Father wasn't a cruel man, and our slaves knew of his hospitality and good heart. Mother Renèe was much the same, often caring for any new child produced until they reached an age of work. Father and Mother prohibited the use of child slaves, unless they were working within the property such as the house or kitchen.

No, the men in Washington don't understand. They don't know of men like Father, of women like Mother, they only see the families like the Peters or Kenways. To think of an impending war approaching was horrifying, the lives lost, the men dead and for what? Then, all the lost loved ones: husbands, sons, fathers, gone. Lost to a silly thing like war. What sent shivers up my spine was the man coolly watching me with his eyes of a hawk, his gold eyes hard with a set determination. Would I ever imagine the man in front of me leaving to enlist for this foolish war? Never.

I would have called you mad.

"Edward! Please! You'll get yourself killed!" I screamed, hoping to persuade the foolish man I love into not going into the war. We stood in the office, nestled between the grand hall just down the hallway. I knew no one could hear us, but I had to make sure. He sighs resignedly, shaking his head in disappointment as he goes to my father's bookcase and absentmindedly browses through its collection.

"Interesting taste your father has Ms. Swan." He says softly, the anger boiling over in my heart as I feel he isn't listening to my protests.

"I don't give a damn about the books! You are going to get yourself killed! And for what!?" He pauses from his trailing fingers among the bookcase, standing perfectly still as he shakes his head again.

"Stop that. It's not proper for a woman to argue." He scolds, his back still to me as he continues to look around the office with his hands behind his back. He wore a fine velvet black suit with black leather shoes, he looked so handsome with that suit, the way his golden eyes looked, his bronze hair and his pale skin against the dark contrast of the suit.

I glare to the back of his head, focusing on every little strand of bronze hair in anger and slight jealousy to this man standing with his back to me. I didn't want to admit it, I didn't want to acknowledge it, but I knew it deep it in my heart. He was fighting for Tanya Peters, my long time childhood friend and near sister. We've known each other since birth, when our families held a ball for possible suitors for my elder sister, Mary-Alice.

The Peters family had their son, Jason, court her momentarily, until my dear sister wedded into the Whitlock family to their son, Jasper. I sigh deeply, looking down to the design on my dress as I think of the good old days. Where Tanya and I wouldn't worry about such silly things like boys or marriage, and just play with our dolls and have tea parties.

It was different now. Tanya and Edward were engaged, and here I was, the naïve and stupid Isabella Swan that had fallen in love with the man my best friend was marrying once the war was finished. Here I was, alone and desperately trying to save the life of a man that saw me as merely an associate and friend to Tanya. She didn't know of my infatuation with her fiancée, she had no knowledge of my love letters to Edward or plans to elope. No, that would be a fate harsher then death.

Instead, I was her maid of honor and her smile everything Edward was around brought sunshine out of dark clouds. Instead, she saw my constant side wards glances to her fiancée as something of teasing. Edward and I knew the truth, but he always scolded my roaming eyes and explained that he loved Tanya till death due them part. That killed me inside. That I had no one to confine too, that he would just wave it off, Tanya would become angry, and Alice wouldn't understand.

I was alone. Within this large plantation my father had worked hard to build us, our slaves to work our fields, our maids inside, I was completely alone. I wish I could explain to his fiancée about everything, just finally blurt it out and be done with it but I was a coward. I couldn't bring myself to such low levels and confess my infatuation with her beloved. I know I would break her heart in a way, knowing that she sees me as a sister. Or, she could go in a fit of anger and vow to never see me again.

That's what I feared the most.

"Isabella..." He begins, turning around to face me with a grim expression. I close my eyes, expecting the worst when in turn he just takes a step closer and gives me a kiss a top my forehead. The warm tenderness of his touch is exhilarating, my heart beat ringing in my ears as I feel my cheeks flush with nervousness. What do I do? Kiss him? Speak? Stand there?

"I will write you." He explains softly, more thoughts flooding my mind as it races with scenarios and stray thoughts of possible blossoming love between us, only to be shattered when Tanya comes to mind. I love her like a sister, I couldn't break her heart in such a way that even involves her beloved. I try to find the courage to open my eyes from my dreamy state when I hear him leaving the office and the soft click of the door closing.

My eyes widen in horror, I run out of the office and desperately try to find him. No. No. No. No. No. Please, no. Don't enlist Edward. Please. I run down the hall with my slippers hitting the red velvet carpet in soft thuds, past flower cases and open widows of chirping birds and sunshine. I ignore it all, he's gone. Off to do something stupid in order to become a hero. Go, go Bella, run faster!

I bring myself to the entrance of the plantation, my eyes desperately roaming the wide plains to the stables, roads, and the large oakwood tree where Edward always hitched Bessie. He's not there. I tell myself, a sad realization hitting me as Mrs. Margaret calls me back inside.

"Ms. Bella! What'cha doing out 'here with ya slippers on? Don't cha know that's 'mproper?" I ignore the large black woman's words, the maid huffing with a hand on her hip and she held the duster up to me with a scow on her plump black lips.

"Nothing. I am doing nothing." I mutter softly, walking away from the grand hall and up the circular flight of stairs to where on the second floor my room was at the end of the hallway. I didn't care for anything around me, the dark clouds found their way to circle around my head and fog my thoughts with sorrow and anger. How could he do this to my heart? Make me feel like you care for me and then just... leave?

I was too lost in my feelings and self pity that I brushed passed my cheery sister Alice, Rosalie- the woman that bullied me as a child and them became a sister over our young adolescence, and my beloved father Charles or "Charlie". I heard soft murmuring among them momentarily, the trio stopping at my passing before I reach my door.

"Isa," I hear Rosalie's voice. Warm, seductive, and inviting-like honeysuckle flowing through her voice. I almost lost it, broke down into tears at my pain and the comfort of her voice. No, be strong Isabella. I hesitantly pause, a sigh escaping my parched lips as I face the door that leads into my bedroom. I look at them with a sidewards glance, not caring to keep any eye contact and my facial expression of agitation fully expresses how I felt at the moment. Father sees my discomfort and bows away, continuing his way down the hall before he disappears from view.

"Bella." My dear sister mutters in a soft, understanding tone as both Rosalie and Alice rush to my side. By then, tears are brimming at my eyelashes and I feel my knees grow weak as I collapse to my knees and cradle my face in my hands. They both embrace me tightly, their arms around my waist as they rest their heads against my shoulder.

"Isa, don't cry. Please." Rosalie pleads, Alice nodding in agreement as I sob pathetically on the floor. I couldn't, I couldn't handle this. It... It hurt to much to keep bottled inside.

"I love Edward." I blurt out in a whisper, the two gasping and inching away slowly as they watch me carefully. "I have fallen deeply in love with the man that will marry my best friend."

* * *

_Love it guys? Hate it? :( I spent three days writing, then rewriting, then editing until I got this as a result. :) I am looking for a beta for this story, since I want it to be such a large project and really put all my heart into the plot. And yes, they will be confederates, OCs, and maybe the Volturi could be union? :P Alec in a blue uniform= awesome. Anyway, this is AU, AH, and CC with a couple OCs thrown in. Enjoy!_

_Please PM if you think you're good enough and want to beta. And of course review and give me constructive criticism and reviews! Love you all,_

_Andrea :D_


End file.
